TAMPA — The theme for Monday was the return of former Rays star Randy Arozarena to the Tampa Bay area for the first time since being traded in July 2024.
But the Rays were more pleased about the return to form of a key member of their current team — starter Shane Baz.
The right-hander in his first full major-league season had gone 10 starts — since June 26 — without a win, posting an 0-8 record and 6.58 ERA during that rough stretch.
After hints of improvement in his last outing Aug. 26 in Cleveland, Baz looked very much like his best self Monday, throwing six scoreless innings as the Rays beat Arozarena’s Mariners 10-2.
Baz allowed five hits and just two walks, striking out six and getting out of what little trouble he faced. He improved to 9-11 for the season, dropping his ERA to 4.98.
The Rays’ Shane Baz delivered a strong performance on Monday night in Tampa. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
He had looked better against the Guardians, allowing three first-inning runs on three singles, two walks and a sacrifice fly, then nothing else, retiring his final 16 hitters and completing six innings.
Baz got plenty of help Monday as catcher Nick Fortes hit a three-run homer in the second, Brandon Lowe and Junior Caminero teamed up to drive in two runs in the third, Yandy Diaz and Caminero combined to knock in three more in the seventh, and Tristan Gray hit a two-run homer in the eighth.
Arozarena, who was cheered warmly by the crowd and given a tribute with a video during the second inning, went 2-for-4 with a pair of singles but was picked off after stealing second in the first inning.
The Rays have won four straight and seven of their last eight in improving to 68-69. And, of some interest, they moved to within 4 1/2 games of the Mariners, who hold the third American League wild-card spot, though there are three other teams between them.
The Mariners swept the Rays in Seattle a few weeks ago, but Tampa Bay has a chance to make up that ground this week.
“There’s definitely an opportunity,” manager Kevin Cash said before the game. “This team we just saw a couple of weeks ago. They’re very talented. We’re going to have to play good baseball.
“I think we need to focus on [Monday’s] game and see what we can do to win that game. We got a long way to go, but there’s no doubt this is a team that is ahead of us and got to find ways to beat them.”
